REVIEW: Static Season One No.3

Ayala’s “Static” series is certainly picking up steam in the third issue of the Milestone reboot. If she keeps this up and decides to work with a different penciller, I can smell a “Hot Streak” coming !

There are some choice interactions here as the story picks off on the issue two cliffhanger with Static surrounded by police at Hardware’s storage unit. Making any fan of the Zeta Project wonder if Metcalf’s boss will be bringing Z into the picture anytime soon. But back to Virgil …

In this iteration, Static ends up flipping some of Hardware’s material to make a suit similar to the original Paul Leon design. But for those who grew up off of the 2000’s anime (like myself), no worries – Static’s OKC colors make a special appearance in this issue that is far from expected. Yet when all is said and done, I find it only right that Ayala and the rest of the Milestone team made the decision to stick with the original snapback and one-piece.

Don’t worry, for those who aren’t into comic books for the “pretty pictures” there are plenty of great moments in “Static” No.3 other than just a fashion show :

Static takes flight, Hot Streak returns as an informant (?), and Daisy gets some powers of her own (the first I’ve ever actually seen for her in any Static series) and struggles with accepting herself because of this. A theme that wears as thin as the stereotypical police language. But these bumps can be overlooked, as the best moments in this book feature the theme of strong family connection.

Virgil has a conversation with his pops while they fix up the roof recently damaged by Hot Streak ; which turns out to be more heartwarming than anything Matt Greoning could have delivered when he brought America’s most important family to the big screen. And Ayala even gives Mark Twain a run for his money as Virgil repaints his house with Richie and Freida, Richie providing the comic relief he is known for across all Static mediums and Frieda being big-hearted as usual.

From Virgil laughing it up with his friends, and awkward father/son talk, and Sharon teaching Virgil how to sew – Ayala really brings out the soul in the Static mythos and her dialogue for these characters become the main attraction instead of the anime-style action. And yes Draper-Ivy is still handling the drawings, and to his credit he even has one beautiful pulp style panel as Virgil attempts to escape the police, but I would like to see less computer graphics and more pencils in the line of Static’s competition on the Milestone Returns brand for future issues to come. I want the art to match Ayala’s words, yet as the series continues into this issue, Draper-Ivy & Ayala still have a tonal disconnect.

But that won’t stop me from reading. If there is anything that Ayala’s third issue of Static has taught me : there can never be enough Blood Syndicate teases or strong Afro-family units in the media spotlight. But the teases can only satisfy so long. Blood Syndicate? Let’s go!

Score : 2/5

Static (Season One) #3
written by VITA AYALA
art by CHRISCROSS AND NIKOLAS DRAPER-IVEY
cover by KHARY RANDOLPH